Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 1 Samuel 2:4
The bows of the mighty men [are] broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
4. The bows of the mighty men are broken, &c.] The bow was one of the chief weapons of war (2Sa 1:22). Its being broken is a natural symbol of defeat. “To be girded with strength” (Psa 18:39) is a figure derived from the practice of “girding up the loins” in preparation for active exertion.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
4, 5. This knowledge and justice apportion to all their due, and reverse conditions of life contrary to all expectation. Sennacherib’s host is annihilated: Gideon’s handful triumphs.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 4. The bows of the mighty] The Targum considers the first verse as including a prophecy against the Philistines; the second verse, against Sennacherib and his army; the third, against Nebuchadnezzar and the Chaldeans; the fourth, against the Greeks; the fifth, against Haman and his posterity; and the tenth, against Magog, and the enemies of the Messiah.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This notes either,
1. The strength of which they boasted. See Psa 44:6; 46:9. Or,
2. Their malicious or mischievous designs. See Psa 7:12; 11:2; 37:14. Or,
3. Their virulent tongues, which are compared to
bows that shoot their arrows, even bitter words; as it is said Psa 64:3; compare Jer 9:3. Or,
4. Their procreating virtue, which may well be compared to a bow, both because it is called a mans strength, Gen 49:3, and because children, which are the effects of it, and are as it were shot from that bow, are compared to arrows, Psa 127:4,5. And this seems best to agree with the following verse.
They that stumbled; or, were weak, or feeble, in body and spirit, that had no strength to conceive, which was once Sarahs case, Heb 11:11; or to bring forth, which was Israels condition under Hezekiah, 2Ki 19:3.
Are girt with strength; are enabled both to conceive and to bring forth, as the church was, Isa 66:9.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
The bows of the mighty men are broken,…. Hannah, from relating gracious experiences, and celebrating, the divine perfections of holiness, omniscience, and sovereignty, passes on to take notice of the dealings of God with men in providence and grace; bows are here put for all military arms, which men of might and war make use of, and which God can easily break in pieces, and so make war to cease in the earth, and hinder warlike men from doing what they design and attempt; they are enfeebled and weakened by him, and their hands cannot perform their enterprises: so the bows of Satan, and his principalities and powers, are broken, and his fiery darts are quenched, and the people of the Lord enabled to stand against him, and wrestle with him and them, being strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, as it follows:
and they that stumbled are girt with strength; who, through weakness, are ready to stumble at everything they meet with in the way; yet, being girded with strength by the Lord, are able to do great exploits, as David did, that being his case, Ps 18:29, so such as are weak in grace, in faith, in knowledge, and ready to stumble at every trial and exercise, let it come from what quarter it will; yet being girded by the Lord with strength, are able to exercise grace, perform duty, go through every service they are called to, whether in a way of doing or suffering, to bear the yoke and cross of Christ, to oppose every enemy, to walk on in the ways of God, and to persevere in faith and holiness to the end.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) The bows of the mighty men are broken.God reverses human conditions, bringing low the wicked, and raising up the righteous.
Von Gerlach writes of these verses that Every power which will be something in itself is destroyed by the Lord: every weakness which despairs of itself is transformed into power. The bows of the heroes, that is to say, the heroes of the bow, the symbol of human power being poetically put first instead of the bearer of the symbol. The next line contains the antithesis: while the heroes rejoicing in their strength are shattered, the tottering, powerless ones are by Him made strong for battle.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Bow-heroes Heroes armed with the bow. Hebrew, , bow of heroes dismayed, the participle dismayed ( ) agreeing (by attraction) with heroes, not bow. The Israelitish mind was familiar with the instruments and imagery of war, and when the devout Hannah sings the triumphs of her soul she naturally uses imagery like this.
Tottering ones Those who are weary, feeble, faint, and just ready to fall, as Hannah was when the comforting words of the high priest (1Sa 1:17) inspired her with new strength. See note on 1Sa 1:23.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
(4) The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength. (5) They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
Some have thought, that Hannah is here triumphing over Penninah, who before insulted her. But I conceive, that Hannah’s mind was soaring to an higher subject. It is the triumph of the Church of Jesus over all her adversaries, that she had in view. And here is large scope for the illustration of these precious truths. The vows of the carnal, in their own strength, are broken. The full in their own righteousness, are sent empty away. While on the contrary the Lord satisfieth the hungry with good things; and poor barren souls are satiated with the bread of life.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
1Sa 2:4 The bows of the mighty men [are] broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
Ver. 4. The bows of the mighty men are broken, ] i.e., The bows of Peninnah and her children, who did shoot reproachful words at Hannah. Some gather hence that Peninnah bore no more children, but lost those she had, as 1Sa 2:5 .
They that stumbled.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
The bows: Psa 37:15, Psa 37:17, Psa 46:9, Psa 76:3
stumbled: Isa 10:4, Jer 37:10, 2Co 4:9, 2Co 4:10, 2Co 12:9, Eph 6:14, Phi 4:13, Heb 11:34
Reciprocal: 1Ki 20:18 – General Psa 65:6 – girded Jer 51:56 – every Luk 1:51 – he hath scattered Luk 1:52 – put
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1Sa 2:4. The bows of the mighty are broken The strength of which they boasted. They that stumbled Or, were weak and feeble. The great sense she had of Gods power, branches out itself into an humble acknowledgment of this glorious attribute, in divers instances. And, first, in vanquishing the most victorious; for bows were a principal part of warriors weapons, Psa 44:6; and their girdles, being an important part of the military habit, are elegantly interpreted to signify strength and warlike prowess.